Song of the Beloved
by Lady Karai
Summary: The Battle of Honnoji, told from Ranmaru's POV. A look at his relationship with Mitsuhide and how they ended up against each other. Five chapters total. Rated T for violence.
1. Destiny at the Scaean Gate

**Song of the Beloved**

Description: A look at the fictional relationship between Akechi Mitsuhide and Mori Ranmaru as presented in SW, told from Ranmaru's POV as he guards Nobunaga at Honnoji. Rated T for violence and references to the shudo tradition.

Disclaimer: Samurai Warriors and its characters are the property of KOEI.

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**Chapter One: Destiny at the Scaean Gate**

My feet echo dully on the wooden floor as I leave my lord's chamber. His final orders pull heavily on my mind, drowning out all other sounds around me. Somewhere beyond the reach of my thoughts, my ears can hear the shouts and screams of the terrified household. Lost souls, every one of us.

So be it.

I look up to see I am near my destination: the south gate. A guard stands beside it, watching my approach. The other must have fled. The eyes of the remaining man radiate his fear, clearly visible in the half-light. I cannot blame him or the one who ran. We are all afraid.

Off to my left, a small group of women hurry towards the back rooms. I pay them no mind until one calls out my name.

"Ranmaru!"

I turn to see Lady Oichi running to me, the other women trailing after her, worried by the delay.

"My lady, you must --"

"Is it true, Ranmaru?" she interrupts me. Her young and pretty face searches mine, demanding it for answers. "They say Lord Mitsuhide has rebelled and is bringing an army here. Is it true?"

I breathe in slowly before answering, "It is true, my lady." She bites her lip in distress, and her bright eyes move past me to the gate, staring through it as if seeing the soldiers in the distance.

An idea comes to me, and I say, "Lady Oichi, please, could you try to persuade your brother to flee? He refused when I suggested it, but if you and Lady Kicho were to add your requests, then perhaps …"

"Yes. Yes I will." But her manner is distracted, her eyes still beyond the gate. A serving woman plucks at her sleeve and murmurs to her, and Lady Oichi's eyes clear. She turns them to me, and I can see the wetness in them, tears threatening to fall.

"Ranmaru, I must know. Will you … ? You won't …"

The implied question shoots through me, leaving a stabbing pain in my heart. I drop to one knee before her.

"My lady, I will fight to defend you and my lord until the soil of Honnoji has accepted the last drop of my blood. I swear no man shall enter this gate while I still live."

"The gate," she echoes in a whisper. As I stand and walk forward to my post, she calls to me, "You're going to defend the south gate alone?"

I pause before the guard and hold his gaze, trying to pass some of my own courage to the other man. "Close and bar the gate behind me. Then take Lady Oichi to our lord's quarters."

Not waiting to see him nod in acknowledgment, I step through the opening into the courtyard. As the gate closes behind me, I can hear Lady Oichi crying out my name. Her voice cracks in horror and sadness.

"My life is expendable, my lady," I tell the memory of her face in my mind. "So it has always been, and so I have always known."

* * *

"Mino will fall, Ranmaru." 

I looked up from my meditation to find my friend Lord Mitsuhide standing before me. "Tonight, tomorrow, it does not matter. It will fall all the same."

Confused, I gazed up at him from my place on the floor. He had come to visit me in full armor, his sword hanging by his side. His handsome face held a distracted expression, and he stared out my window into the dark night.

I realized, after a moment, that he planned to say no more, so I responded, "I don't understand, my lord. Surely Inabayama can outlast a siege."

The sound of my voice snapped him from his thoughts, and he smiled at me with a hint of embarrassment, almost as if he had just noticed I was there. "Normally I would agree with you," he returned. "But Nobunaga is no ordinary enemy."

Lord Mitsuhide's eyes clouded again, and he walked over to the window which had seemed to capture all his attention. The soft night wind ruffled his long hair as he stood there, gazing out into the darkness. To me, or perhaps to no one, he said, "The Demon Lord is unlike any other I have seen. I do not think this battle will be long enough to hinge on the outcome of a siege."

His words and his manner filled me with apprehension. I stood and joined him at the window. I could see the campfires of the Oda army across the hills, and when the clouds released their grip on the moon, I could just barely make out the enemy's flags, thousands of them, all in perfect array.

"My lord," I asked in a voice low enough that only we could hear, "are you going to defect?"

He paused just slightly too long before answering, "No. Of course not." His voice dropped and his eyes followed, finding a spot of interest on the window ledge. "Not … defect."

Not entirely understanding, I let the silence thicken between us. My mind raced with my own thoughts of Oda Nobunaga. Ever since his small force had met Imagawa Yoshimoto's much larger army at Dengakuhazama Gorge and, through a mixture of courage and trickery, won, he had occupied a prominent place in my mind, as if his promise and talent demanded to be studied and considered.

At my side, Lord Mitsuhide had shifted slightly to look at me. I could tell that, in his quiet way, he knew I had something on my mind. His eyes offered encouragement without pressure, and they showed no trace of his previous detachment.

"Lord Nobunaga," I began, hesitatingly, "I'm not sure why … but I think that he could unite our land." I closed my eyes and saw in my mind a great rainstorm, a castle in flames, and hidden in the dark, a band of soldiers led by a man without fear. "It is … just a feeling. I cannot describe why I have it. Only that it is there."

Soft fingers touched my chin. Surprised, I stepped backwards, feeling them sliding along my skin and off my face. My eyes flew open in time to see a strange emotion flicker over Lord Mitsuhide's face before he turned it to the window once more. Was it disappointment? My heart contracted in regret at my involuntary reaction to his touch. He almost never offered me physical contact, not even a hand to help me to my feet after he had yet again beaten me during training. I wanted to reach out to him, to tell him that it had been shock, not rejection, that had caused me to pull away. But I knew such words were beyond my place, so I held my tongue.

Lord Mitsuhide turned back to me with a forced chuckle and a smile designed to banish the awkward moment that had just occurred. He chose to respond to my small speech by saying, "Then fight him, Ranmaru, with all your power. Fight, and show the Demon your strength. Show him just how valuable a warrior you are."

At his words, I understood. He would not defect, but given the opportunity, he would surrender. And I knew that if he surrendered, I would do the same.

I nodded to him and smiled.

* * *

A/N: Lady Kicho is Nouhime. I read that Nouhime translates to "Princess of Mino" so I decided that Ranmaru would call her by her real name instead. 

I did a decent amount of research before writing this, and I have thrown in a few historical details here and there for garnish. However, the real life Ranmaru and Mitsuhide were nothing like the characters presented in SW and more than likely never even spoke to each other. Ranmaru was only two years old at the battle of Inabayama, and Mitsuhide was already 40. So, any thoughts of making them more historical have been scrapped in favor of the great potential of this tragic -- albeit fictional -- relationship. It's especially important to me now that it seems that KOEI has abandoned their storyline in SW2 for a more Mitsuhide/Nobunaga angle.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Feedback is encouraged!


	2. A Gift at the Threshold

**Song of the Beloved**

Description: A look at the fictional relationship between Akechi Mitsuhide and Mori Ranmaru as presented in SW, told from Ranmaru's POV as he guards Nobunaga at Honnoji. Rated T for violence and references to the shudo tradition.

Disclaimer: Samurai Warriors and its characters are the property of KOEI.

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Chapter Two: A Gift at the Threshold

Standing in the dim rays of dawn, I detach my sword's sheath from its usual place on my back. Slowly, I pull the blade free. The early rays catch the metal and cause it to shine. A strikingly merry contrast to the dark determination within me.

I glance briefly at the empty sheath in my other hand before throwing it into a corner of the courtyard. I will not need it anymore.

I wrap both hands around the hilt of my nodachi, feeling the familiar texture of the weapon that has brought me through many battles. The souls that rest upon that blade are numerous indeed. With a released breath of preparation and relaxation, I lower the tip to the ground and bow my head.

And I wait.

I hear their feet first: no horses, just men. They appear around the corner of an outlying building. Several units of solders. The advance force.

The men at the front stop in confusion upon seeing me: one young man of gentle figure and appearance, holding a sword that seems too cumbersome for him to wield, wearing the threat of death upon his face.

One of the captains finds his tongue. "Hey, kid. Move aside. And put that thing down before you hurt yourself."

Another captain grabs the first by the shoulder and hisses, "Fool! That's Mori Ranmaru, Nobunaga's personal bodyguard." The first man looks back at me with a new fear creeping into his face.

"Forward! Why have you stopped?" a new voice calls. A third man pushes his way to the front, and this man I recognize. Atsuji Sadayuki. He sees me and grins, clearly confident in his soldiers' numbers.

"Stand down, Mori Ranmaru. We are here for the Demon, not for you."

"I am Lord Nobunaga's shield," I reply. "If your objective is his life, you must take mine first."

Sadayuki shakes his head at me, disappointed in my answer. "Lord Mitsuhide informed me that, in view of your long and close friendship, we are to offer you a chance at surrender, but only one." He holds out a hand to me, almost kindly. "Come. Join us. Let's rid this world of that monster disguised as a man."

In answer, I bend my knees and lift my sword above my head. "I have sworn my loyalty," I tell him. "I will perform my duty."

Growling in anger and frustration, Sadayuki pulls his sword free and charges. I meet his attacks easily. Our blades ring out harshly in the sharp morning air. His form is weak, his skills low. Mere seconds into the battle, I knock him off-balance and, taking advantage of his lowered guard, thrust my sword into the weakest point of his armor. It pierces him entirely through.

His eyes are shock and pain as I place a hand on his chest and push, freeing my now-bloodied blade. I watch him slowly crumple, the blood pooling underneath him. Once he has hit the ground, I raise my eyes to his soldiers and lift my sword again.

Half flee. The other half attack.

Several minutes later, I clean my blade off on the clothes of one of the fallen men. Then, I begin to push the corpses away with my foot in preparation for the second wave.

* * *

I threw open the doors and entered the supply yard. It was empty. 

"Damn." My troops had begun to file in after me, ready to fight but finding nothing. Quickly I gave orders to scout the perimeter for remaining soldiers, but I knew it was only out of routine. The Oda army had been and gone, taking everything with them.

As I instructed a messenger to report back to Inabayama, a captain approached me. "Sir? What do we do now? Should we join Lord Mitsuhide against the vanguard?"

I shook my head. "Lord Mitsuhide will be fine on his own. We were told to secure and then guard the yard, so, until I receive further orders, that's what we'll do."

The rest of the night passed quietly. A few enemy stragglers harassed us, but I let my units handle them, not bothering to take on such a simple task myself. I waited for new orders but never received them.

Then, as morning broke, a rider appeared, his horse galloping with fierce intent. Expecting the return of my messenger, I went to meet him but found, to my surprise, the serene face of Lord Mitsuhide staring down at me.

"My lord--" I tried to begin.

"Ranmaru, come with me." An order, and in a tone completely unlike his normal one. He turned the horse and moved as if to leave again.

"What? No! I can't just abandon my post." He paused and turned his head to me. "Why are you here?" I asked him. "Where are your men?"

"My men," he replied, "have defected or fled." He turned his body in the saddle and shouted to my soldiers, "And I encourage all of you to do the same."

The air behind me began to fill with confused whispers. I gritted my teeth, my anger flaring. Had he gone mad?

I stepped up to him and took his sleeve, partly to prevent him from leaving, partly to stop myself from drawing my blade and beheading him. I demanded, "What is going on, my lord?"

"Inabayama has fallen, Ranmaru," he answered in a low voice.

My rage drained away, leaving me cold and stunned. "What? How?"

"Come with me and see." He found a captain with his eyes and ordered, "A horse for your commander."

He led me to the top of a hill and pointed in the direction of Sunomata. The previous day nothing of interest had stood there, but now …

"A … fort?"

Lord Mitsuhide nodded solemnly. I looked back at the structure that had appeared overnight as if by sorcery. It was little more than a wooden skeleton, made from the supplies stolen from our yards. As I watched, I saw periodic bursts of red from its walls, and my astonishment grew.

"And cannons."

"The gates collapsed in a matter of minutes."

I shifted in my saddle to face him. He continued to stare off into the distance, deep in thought. "You were right, my lord. I don't know how, but you predicted this."

He smiled gently and replied, "You made a prediction, too, Ranmaru. Although it has not yet been fulfilled, I have confidence that it will be someday."

Finally, he turned to me and met my eyes. It was all so strange. The land of my birth had been invaded, the clan my family served had collapsed, and yet in that moment, sitting next to my dear friend, I felt a great sense of excitement. As if I had just received a gift that would change my life for the better.

Lord Mitsuhide inclined his head towards the valley below. "There is still heavy fighting in front of the castle and at Sunomata. Shall we go make an impression?"

I nodded enthusiastically, and together we spurred our horses down the hill. Whether Nobunaga would kill us or spare us did not matter to me. I was galloping to a precious opportunity, and I was going to seize it and make it mine.

* * *

A/N: I had originally intended to write a scene where Nouhime invites them to surrender and they accept, but after writing this, it didn't seem necessary. Plus, I want to keep this as spare and raw as I can, so I decided not to bother introducting a new character. At this point, I think I can say there will only be two named speaking characters other than Ranmaru and Mitsuhide and they've both already done their bits. 


	3. The Iron Breasted God of Shadows

**A Song of the Beloved**

Description: A look at the fictional relationship between Akechi Mitsuhide and Mori Ranmaru as presented in SW, told from Ranmaru's POV as he guards Nobunaga at Honnoji. Rated T for violence and references to the shudo tradition.

Disclaimer: Samurai Warriors and its characters are the property of KOEI.

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**Chapter Three: The Iron-Breasted God of Shadows**

Honnoji is burning. Another unit must have set the walls alight somewhere else in the temple. The other gates will not last long in a fire, but even if the enemy is sure to break in elsewhere, I will stay here. This is where my lord commanded me to go, and this is where I will continue my stand.

The second wave came. And perished. Now the third wave has attacked. Two more commanders lie dead at my feet, and their soldiers fall around me as I slash, thrust, and spin. The bodies pile up on the ground, making it more and more difficult for the survivors to reach me.

I swing my blade in an arc in front of me, gutting three soldiers at once. As I kick one away to slice at the man behind him, I notice a bomb sailing through the air toward me. With hardly a break in my rhythm, I slap the thing with the flat of my sword, sending it back to the one who threw it.

The explosion sends several soldiers flying, and their screams tear the air. The shock of what just happened leaves the few men in front of me stunned, so I quickly finish them with little effort.

A pause in the battle grows as the remainder of the assault force stands and stares at me. I must look a terrible sight: my sword covered in blood up to the hilt; great patches of blood -- none of it my own -- covering my clothes, my bare arms, even my face; my eyes blazing fury and destruction.

I straighten and point my dripping blade directly at them.

"This body is a sword, and this place a burial ground. All who wish to die … _come forth_!"

To a man, they turn and flee.

* * *

I wiped my blade on the robe of the man I had just killed, careful not to look at his face. When I straightened, one of my attendants offered me a drink from a canteen while the other pulled the body away to lie with the rest. Their jobs done, they retreated several paces away and left me to my lonely watch. 

I had sent my units further to the rear. I truly doubted I would need them, and I wanted to spare them the consequences of this ugly assignment. I was inwardly grateful that so few had come this way, but deep within me, I knew that it was only because almost none of them had made it this far.

"Sir?" One of my men had stepped forward again. "Lord Mitsuhide approaches from the north."

I turned to look where he pointed and saw, indeed, a familiar figure drawing nearer on horseback. A lump formed in my throat when I saw his slumped shoulders and how his hair fell forward, obscuring his face. I hurried forward to meet him, leaving my two men behind so that I could speak with him in private.

Since joining Lord Nobunaga's army, Lord Mitsuhide and I had been kept extremely busy. It seemed as if the whole world feared Nobunaga's ambition and talent, and we had been forced to deal with rebellions and uprisings, one after the other. Even Lady Oichi's husband had taken up arms against his brother-in-law, and then the Kyoto shogun, whom Lord Nobunaga had helped to reinstate. Now we were to deal with these Ikko-ikki monks who had resisted Nobunaga for years.

Lord Nobunaga had become increasingly vicious and heavy-handed with our enemies, and I had slowly watched the horror of it take its toll on Lord Mitsuhide's gentle face.

"My lord," I greeted him as I came level with him. "Are you all right? Have we suffered a setback?"

He ignored me, his eyes unfocused and distant. After a long silence where I heard clearly the beating of my worried heart, he sighed and said in a low voice, "How many died today, Ranmaru?"

I blinked and lowered my eyes, the reason for his visit now clear. I had no answer to his question, of course. I only knew how many I had killed.

He seemed to have read my mind, for he asked, "How many have made it here?"

"Not many," I replied quietly.

He turned his head and looked directly into my face. "How many did you let by?"

I looked up at him and saw in his expression that he had already guessed my answer. "None."

He closed his tired eyes, raised a hand to his temple, and sighed again. "No quarter. No surrender. No mercy." His eyes opened and lifted to the horizon. "Why?"

"I don't think it is our place to ask that, my lord."

Immediately, he rounded on me, his eyes alive with anger. "Not our place? Do you not have a mind of your own? A heart? A soul? How can you blindly follow his orders with no thought to your actions, no sorrow for the innocent lives you have taken?

"I do not follow him blindly," I replied, meeting his gaze. "I have thought about it a great deal."

The cruelty our lord had shown did weigh heavily on me. I knew I personally would never have been able to make those decisions, to give those orders. But I also knew I would never have the ability to unify the land, to make the petty squabbling stop, to bring peace to us for good. Lord Nobunaga did have that ability, and I believed in him. And so I followed him even through the dark times.

"I believe in him," I told Lord Mitsuhide, braving the fire that blazed from his face. "And I trust that some day, when we have accomplished our goals, we will be able to remember this time and know we did the right thing."

"The right thing," he echoed with scorn in his voice. "How can showing no mercy be the right thing?"

I looked away from him, trying to find a way to convey my thoughts. How could I apply words to a feeling, a simple conviction, in such a way that he would understand? "Perhaps, by eliminating this rebellion so completely, it will discourage others from doing the same. The lives we end here could save many more in the future."

"Ranmaru." His voice had dropped so low and softened so much that I turned back to him in surprise. The anger had left his face, and a deep, desperate sorrow had claimed it. He continued in a near-whisper, "They took everyone they found. Not just the monks. Women and children. Thousands of innocent people. They herded them all into the temple … and _burned it_."

I choked. For a moment, I thought my knees would give way from the sheer horror and shock. Lord Mitsuhide was staring at me, daring me to defend this man who had committed such a heinous offense against life. To my surprise, I found myself still wanting to.

"An example must be set."

"Didn't your _mother_ become a _nun_ when your father died?"

His words hit me like a bullet in the stomach. My cheeks stung painfully as the blood rushed to them. His implication was obvious. If my mother had been immolated this day, just one of the many victims of the Demon's rage, would I still defend him? Still believe in him?

Yes, I would.

Lord Mitsuhide had meant his words to weaken me, but I stared back at him with new strength. "I am sure he has reasons for his actions today, and I believe in him enough to trust them without having to know them."

My dear friend recoiled slightly at my response, the surprise and dismay evident in his face. It hurt to see him look at me like that, but I could not abandon my convictions. They were part of what made me me.

After a moment of terrible silence, Lord Mitsuhide shook his head and turned away from me. He said quietly, "I cannot stay here any longer. My army has already left the front lines, and I am going to join them." His eyes darted briefly to my face, but they would not meet my eyes. "There must be another way, Ranmaru. There must."

He turned his horse sharply and galloped off to the north. I watched him, unmoving, until he had disappeared.

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A/N: The "This body is a sword..." line has to be my favorite "Come and get it" speech from any game, movie, whatever. But it just makes me sick to think of how horrible Ranmaru's English VA is in the game. (... throttles Tony Oliver ... looks around hopefully for Brianne Siddall ...) 

Historically, Nobunaga committed two atrocities against the Ikko. I focused more on the second one at Nagashima since the thought of 20,000 innocents being burned to death really struck home for me. The first one, where he ascended Mt. Hiei killing everyone he saw, is more subtly reflected in Ranmaru's implied orders to kill anyone who tries to escape, regardless of age, gender, or affiliation with the monks.

I would love to hear opinions on this story. Please review!


	4. Lament for the Son of Glory

**A Song of the Beloved**

Description: A look at the fictional relationship between Akechi Mitsuhide and Mori Ranmaru as presented in SW, told from Ranmaru's POV as he guards Nobunaga at Honnoji. Rated T for violence and references to the shudo tradition.

Disclaimer: Samurai Warriors and its characters are the property of KOEI.

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**Chapter Four: Lament for the Son of Glory**

Somehow I am still alive.

I have lost count of the number of waves that have crashed against me, the number of commanders who have died at my hand. Everything has blurred into a never-ending nightmare of screams, blood, and death.

I cut down the figures in front of me and see only space behind them. Another lull. Thankful for the pause, I drop to one knee and try to breathe. Behind me, I can hear the roaring crackle of the flames and the occasional crash as a timber falls somewhere within the building. Is there even anyone inside left to protect?

The air is thick with smoke, ash, and the stench of death. Even so, I gulp in great breaths. My mouth is dry; my shoulders and back ache. A rivulet of sweat mixed with blood trickles down my forehead into my eyes, but my hands and sleeves are covered in blood, making it pointless to try to wipe it away.

I lift my head at the sound of marching feet. Another unit has arrived. But this group does not charge; instead they deploy into long lines along the edges of the courtyard. I watch them with deepening dread. They have been sent here to prepare and wait.

He is coming.

Slowly, rage overtakes me as I think of his cowardice. Instead of meeting Lord Nobunaga in the field, he attacks him here where we have no means to defend ourselves and no hope for rescue. And then, instead of coming to me himself, he sends all his subcommanders against me, hoping one of them will be able to finish me off so he won't have to.

I stand and survey the destruction that I created. How many died today, my lord? How many died because you could not bear to face me yourself? You who I looked up to as a mentor and loved as a friend and perhaps more.

"Damn you, Lord Mitsuhide."

* * *

"May I come in, Ranmaru?" 

I turned to see Lord Mitsuhide standing at my door, almost shyly. I smiled at him. "Of course, my lord."

"I don't want to disturb you if you're busy."

"I'm not busy. Please come in."

He did as he was told, with slow hesitating steps, saying, "I wanted to talk to you before I left for Takamatsu tomorrow. I've barely seen you since Lord Nobunaga made you his bodyguard."

"I know," I replied, inviting him to sit down. He remained standing. Even though his words seemed light and friendly, his face held a darkness that disturbed me. I attempted, through my own simple chatter, to clear it away. "My days are so busy now that I sometimes feel I don't have time to breathe. I truly miss the times you and I would just sit and talk."

A nostalgic smile flickered across his face, but it quickly disappeared. "I hear that you almost never leave his side now." I nodded, but Lord Mitsuhide had not finished. "And that he keeps you with him even when he retires at night."

I jerked backwards a step, surprised that he would discuss so personal a subject. I considered evading the question or even lying, but I decided to be honest with him. It was, after all, a common practice, considered an honor by many, and I was still very young and had been blessed with a handsome face.

"Yes, that is so."

He stared at me, shocked that I would admit it so readily even though he had brought it up. I continued, "It is not something I sought, but our lord requested it and I am honored to serve him."

To my surprise, Lord Mitsuhide's eyes narrowed in pain and anger. "So it's just part of your duty, is it?" he hissed. He turned his back on me, but before he had completely hidden his face, I noticed a strong new emotion in it. It was … _jealousy_. My breath caught in my throat at the realization.

He had walked away from me, being drawn by the window as he often was. Quietly, I joined him. I did not try to continue the conversation; I did not even look at him. I just wanted to stand next to him, to know that he was there beside me.

After many long minutes of silence, Lord Mitsuhide said softly, "Perhaps, I should have died rather than surrender."

I looked at him then. His entire frame sagged with pain and sadness. I knew the ghosts of those we had murdered haunted him, pulling on his soul. He had always been so kind, so sensitive, and he did not have the confidence that I had to support the weight of the responsibility we carried.

"Perhaps you should have," I answered, "but you did not. We both surrendered and gave our loyalties to a new lord. Despairing over our poor decisions is no way to live, my lord. We must accept the choices we made and do our best to make the rest of our lives worthwhile."

I turned my head and gazed out into the night, speaking from my heart with an unusual conviction and clarity. "We are forced to make choices our entire lives, one after the other. If we stand still and worry about which choice is right or about the possibility that we chose wrong, we will never go forward. Happiness does not lie at the end of only one path; it is embedded in the path itself, coming forth to join us as we move along it. If we stop for too long, we will only become stuck in misery. We must move forward, my lord. Always forward."

Lord Mitsuhide's eyes had closed as he listened. When I had finished, he slowly opened them again and turned his face to me. A smile had returned to his lips, and I saw that I had successfully banished his ghosts. His expression was not happiness, but it was contentment and peace, and that was enough for now.

"You're right, Ranmaru," he told me. I held his gaze with my own smiling eyes, trying my best to strengthen him even more. After a moment, he lifted a hand and cupped my chin in his fingers, just as he had done that night in Mino. This time I did not pull away but instead stood there with the truth of my heart shining clearly on my face.

Eventually, he dropped his arm and stepped back. "Thank you," he whispered before turning and leaving the room.

* * *

A/N: I had not planned to have Ranmaru essentially convince Mitsuhide to rebel, but as happens so often with my characters, he gently took over himself and showed me where to go. Of course, Ranmaru's intent in his speech is to give Mitsuhide the strength to hold on a bit longer, to trust as he does that everything will be all right in the end. But Mitsuhide at this point is already considering taking matters into his own hands, so Ranmaru's words end up doing the opposite of what he intended. 


	5. Even Beauty Must Die

**A Song of the Beloved**

Description: A look at the fictional relationship between Akechi Mitsuhide and Mori Ranmaru as presented in SW, told from Ranmaru's POV as he guards Nobunaga at Honnoji. Rated T for violence and references to the shudo tradition.

Disclaimer: Samurai Warriors and its characters are the property of KOEI.

* * *

**Chapter Five: Even Beauty Must Die**

A horse approaches, its rider a motionless statue, devoid of expression.

I wait in the smoke and flame, a living symbol of determination.

A few paces in front of his line, he dismounts and closes the distance between us on foot.

"Hello, Ranmaru."

"My lord."

"Stand down, Ranmaru. You have proven yourself a hero of our age, your loyalty and skill unmatched. But if you persist, only death will be your reward. It is time to surrender."

"Atsuji Sadayuki offered me the same choice. If you want my answer, ask him yourself." I flick my head in the direction of the corpse in question.

He grimaces at my harsh response. Again he appeals to me. "Do not do this, Ranmaru. For the sake of our friendship, stand down. His time has come. The people will never submit to a ruler of such cruelty."

"I see," I answer, my voice dripping in sarcasm. "And I suppose you have received Heaven's Mandate that lets you, a single man, speak for all the people?"

"No," he replies, ignoring my scorn. "But I have made my choice, and I must move forward."

Rage explodes within me. "Damn you! Are you saying this rebellion is my fault?" I raise my crimson sword above my head.

"No. I know what you were trying to tell me. But I cannot, Ranmaru. I have to follow my own heart, and that is why --"

"Enough!" I cry. "If you're going to kill me, do so. Otherwise, there are _women_ and _children_ who need to be rescued from this _burning temple_."

My words pierce him, just as I intended. He staggers backwards. A moment passes, and then his face hardens. He draws his katana and holds it loosely by his side.

"Fine. I see you've made your choice."

"I have."

"Then I must give you what you want!"

He attacks. His blade crashes into mine, and the impact shudders down my aching arms. I have just enough energy to defend myself. I will never beat him. Not now. Perhaps not even if he had come to me straight away. But the outcome does not matter. I knew even as the orders dropped from Lord Nobunaga's lips that he and I would both die this day. What matters now is that Lord Mitsuhide will not reach Lord Nobunaga without considerable effort.

My foot slips in a pool of blood, and my balance fails briefly. Lord Mitsuhide's blade cuts into my arm. I manage to push him away and right myself, but a few moments later, I slip again. My legs feel heavy and thick, as if the dead are reaching up from the ground and clinging to me. Helping their commander avenge them for their murders, even though he is the one who sent them against their lord. Pulling me down as punishment for my loyalty even as I punished them for theirs.

A slice deflected. A stab avoided. A swing met, but too strong to hold. My sword flies too far above my shoulders, leaving me open. And I feel the thrust as it enters my chest and pushes through. The pain seizes my entire body. Is his sword made of fire? For I feel as if my insides have ignited.

"Why?" he whispers. I raise my gaze to him and see tears in his eyes. "Why did you choose him instead of me?"

I drop my sword and, with my empty hand, take hold of his as it grips the weapon that impales me. "Because," I gasp through my pain, "I gave him … my loyalty and … my life. Even if I were .. with you .. I would not be myself … anymore."

With the last of my strength, I pull myself from his blade. I collapse to my knees, instinctively covering my wound with my hands. The blood pours through my fingers, covering the old, nearly-dried blood of others with a new, terrible red.

"Break down the gate and bring me Nobunaga's head!"

Fire is raging in my chest. My mouth is filling with blood. The sounds of soldiers rushing by is drowned out by a pounding in my ears. I notice Lord Mitsuhide standing in front of me, protecting me from any pettiness from his soldiers as they pass. Then, my sight fails and I see only blackness.

I am falling, I think. It is so hard to tell. I spit the blood from my mouth, trying to breathe, but the air is burning.

Arms. Arms are holding me, fingers wiping away the blood that leaks from between my teeth.

"Ranmaru."

"Forgive me," I whisper, focusing all I still have into one final breath. "Lord Mitsuhide, Lord Nobunaga, I have failed you both."

The blackness before me is beckoning. Strange. It has depth, although I don't understand how I know that. The pain is fading. The prospect of entering that darkness elicits no fear, only curiosity. That, and a sense of home.

Just before I move forward into it, I hear one final voice. The voice of a person I used to know and love.

"No, Ranmaru, we are the ones who failed you."

The End

* * *

A/N: My objectives in writing this were twofold: one, to help me understand how these friends ended up fighting each other by figuring out, not why Mitsuhide rebelled, but why Ranmaru stayed; and two, to give Ranmaru a bit of his dignity back by presenting him in a strong light. I feel that I accomplished both. I hope you agree. 

Even though this is now finished, I would still welcome reviews. Thanks for reading all the way to the end.


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